Most cost effective way to back up 20GB files?

[chris2200]

I am going to be needing to back up my premiere movies files around 15GB - 20GB each, can i somehow back up 1 large files over multiple DVDs? I guess DVD disks are the cheapest way to go? Thanks for the help.

[daamon]

Buy yourself an additional hard-drive - I bought a 300Gb and it wasn't too expensive (about AUS$150).

And they're easy enough to install:

www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/howto/install_xp_disk_mgmt.html

[chris2200]

thanks but is it possible to back up 1 file over multiple dvds?

[roma_turok]

Its easy.
Split file with Winrar and backup RAR files.
Set in winrar compression method "Store" and set split to volumes

[PTsniper]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but after I've spleated the files how do I put theme back together in one single file?

Thanks.

[roma_turok]

Its simple
Just copy all parts rar files to 1 folder
Open one of rar file and extract file by button "Extract to".
Just make TEST!
And if AVI file its very important for you, make 2 DVD copys from 1 rar file
in case if one of DVD scratched.

[jimmalenko]

You open the first file in WinRAR, select your file(s),and press the extract button. Point it to a destination folder and it'll work out the rest.

[PTsniper]

Ok thanks

[chris2200]

winrar done the job, thanks a lot for your help

[ROF]

WinRAR works but your archived video must be uncompressed and unspanned before it is usable. I am with daamon on this one. A large HDD in an external enclosure will offer you a backup device usable without decompression and unspanning at a relatively cheap cost at any PC a port compatible to your case. USB2 is good, combo USB/Firewire is better. SATA is best in my opinion.

Anybody else notice hard drives in general have dropped in price for the last few weeks? Must be fall clearance a little early.

[fishywishy]

another good apprlication is hjsplit as all it does is split the file, not compress it like winrar does. this is much faster

[sacajaweeda]

WinRAR works but your archived video must be uncompressed and unspanned before it is usable.

From the WinRAR help file:

Six compression methods are supported: "Store", "Fastest", "Fast", "Normal", "Good" and "Best". The "Best" method provides highest, but slowest compression, "Fastest" compresses poorly, but is very fast, "Store" merges files into an archive without compression.

HTH

[smartel]

is this method still recommended for backing up let's say huffy captures ?

it's a 4-5 year old thread

[jagabo]

Which method? Hard drive? Yes. You can get 2 TB drives are less than US$80 now. That's the equivalent of ~500 DVD-R but much more convenient and faster.

[smartel]

or plain dvd-rs with winrar ; dvd-r comes cheap too

winrar has some kind of error protection , to not have corrupt files

i hear that big drives don't last very long ,
i could have one external hard drive for back up to keep my 2nd drive empty
or external dock like this :http://www.everythingusb.com/thermaltake-blacx-se-usb-hard-drive-dock-15530.html

[jagabo]

I use hot swap bays:

http://www.amazon.com/KingWin-3-5-Inch-Internal-Tray-Less-KF-1000-BK/dp/B00126U0VA/

They're much faster than external USB enclosures.

[jman98]

I'm not thrilled that a thread over 4 years old was grave robbed here, but I've seen worse cases of grave robbing.

Having said that, if you, smartel, are seriously going to use DVD discs to back up large files via WinRAR then I would suggest that you also create some PAR recovery files and back those up to disc too. With PAR recovery files you can recover from errors should you have problems with the discs in the future. Without PAR recovery files if you get any bad sectors on one of the discs you may lose the entire archived file.

WinRAR itself contains no such error protection against corruption. That's why PAR files exist.

[TBoneit]

I just use a Blu Ray burner and single layer media.